Unpacking Japanese Words
Reading Mackerel and Other Curious Japanese Sayings
By Clay & Yumi Boutwell
Exploring Japanese word origins for learners of Japanese — Volume 1
“Wait—did you say reading mackerel?!” Yup. Welcome to the wild world of Japanese word origins. Each entry begins with the most likely etymology in Japanese, followed by the English explanation and a complete vocabulary breakdown—so you practice reading real Japanese before peeking at the English.
Save with digital: This title is also part of our discounted Vocabulary Bundle.
Make words stick with stories
- Dozens of everyday (and delightfully odd) idioms, sayings, and words.
- Cultural and historical backstories that make phrases memorable.
- Line-by-line vocabulary with context and grammar notes.
- Example sentences for real-world usage.
- Audio recordings of all Japanese content—great for shadowing.
Curious learners & word nerds
- Upper beginners through intermediate students.
- Fans of etymology, history, and language “aha!” moments.
- Teachers looking for bite-sized lesson content.
- Anyone who has ever yelled 「もしもし」 into the void.
Japanese first, then English
Start with the Japanese etymology, use the vocabulary notes to work through it, and only then peek at the English. This keeps the reading practice front and center while giving you the story behind the words.
Audio samples from the book
Read a sample right here
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Unpack the stories behind Japanese words
With etymology, culture notes, line-by-line vocabulary, examples, and audio, this book turns “why is it said that way?” into “oh—that makes sense now.”
153 Pages - 9798319034519